Sunset Sips by Jasmine Bell #3
“You gave her your tips?” I ask.
“That was the only way she would do it. In her words, ‘I’m a paid actress only.’?” Malcolm shrugs. “It’s no big deal, just my tips for the day…and closing by myself. But it’s worth it ’cause I finally get to see your smile after ole boy stole it.”
I don’t even notice I’m smiling until his words cause the corners of my lips to twitch. “Thank you. But you really didn’t have to do that.”
“I promise it’s no big deal. Plus, I just took a page out of your book.”
“How? Tina’s the theater major, not me.”
“I meant A Different World. After the headphone incident, I restarted the show, and I recently watched that episode where Kimberly acts like Ron’s crazy girlfriend to save him from Whitley’s cousin, Liza.”
Laughter shakes my shoulders at the mention of the “headphone incident.” A couple of weeks ago, I thought my headphones were connected to my laptop when I started an episode of A Different World.
But apparently, my volume was set to max, and by the end of the theme song, Malcolm was tapping on my shoulder, notifying me that the whole café could hear it.
“I appreciate it,” I say. “I can’t believe a stupid bet to finally have a little fun turned out this bad.”
“First mistake was that you were betting on the wrong person.”
“What do you mean?”
“You should have bet on me for a date.”
I blink once. Twice. Three times. His statement refuses to process in my brain. Words fall out of my mouth without me thinking. “Oh, you’re being bold.” It’s supposed to come out flirty, but my genuine surprise masks my intention.
His face drops, and he retracts his hand. I freeze, hoping he doesn’t get the wrong impression. The longest five seconds pass before Malcolm finally speaks.
“I never wanted shit to be weird between us. Our friendship means a lot to me, and you know, there’s the cohort thing.
I’d hate it if our vibe got messed up and it spread to the rest of our friends.
But I’d regret it more if I didn’t admit your presence alone during my shifts makes them worthwhile. ”
When I don’t respond because my heart is beating a mile a minute and I don’t trust the words that’ll come from my mouth, Malcolm throws up his hands. “Seriously though, I didn’t know if you liked me or were just stalking me,” he jokes, easing the tension.
“Stalking? Says the boy who starts liking my favorite show after he sees me watching it.” I keep my tone playful and light.
“One, that’s normal friendship. Two, you’re the one who knows my work schedule to a T.” Malcolm bites his lip, holding back a chuckle.
“I do not,” I say dramatically. He works Tuesday through Thursday from three to eight, with a midday Sunday shift every other week.
But of course, I learned my favorite barista’s schedule because I won’t spend my dining dollars on subpar coffee, especially when Malcolm serves his with a side of good conversation and a dash of touches.
I lean forward, lifting my eyebrows, and a smirk twitches at the corner of my mouth. “Well, make a move then.”
“Piper Wylie.” Malcolm leans forward, his lip rolling in, and our faces are within inches of each other. “Will you go on a date with me?”
I don’t hesitate to respond. “I would love to. Do you have a time and place in mind or…”
Malcolm stands up and offers his hand. “Now.”
“Now?”
“We can have a mini date right now that’ll make you forget about that bozo.”
“What bozo?” I act oblivious.
He smiles. “I’m glad my romantic charm is working already.”
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You still gotta prove your dating skills.”
“Bet.” He gently pulls me to the back of the coffee bar. His fingers tap the countertop beside the register. “I have a couple of closing duties, and once I finish those, I have something to show you. So you sit here and relax.”
I climb onto the counter as he grabs his phone. He taps away at the keyboard until his phone connects to the café’s speakers.
“See You Again,” by Tyler, The Creator and Kali Uchis, consumes the space. “First my favorite show, and now my favorite song?” I ask, even though I know he learned this years ago at a party. Him remembering makes me giddy inside, and it takes everything to contain myself.
Malcolm winks, swiftly cleaning up and organizing the coffee bar while rushing in and out of the kitchen. I mumble the lyrics and rock my body to the beat.
“You know you wanna sing your heart out.” Malcolm pauses his cup stacking and peers at me, waiting. “So you might as well.”
“Please.” I laugh. “I’m just humming along.”
“So now you wanna act shy?” He nods, abandoning the cups and picking a spatula from the utensil container. The second chorus hits, and he holds the spatula to his mouth like a microphone. Lyrics pour from his lips, and he really gets into the song as if it were his own.
He pulls me to my feet, and when Kali’s part comes on, he tilts the spatula to me. I give in and sing along, nearly drowning out the actual audio.
Laughter ripples from our chests, although we’re trying to be serious and actually emulate the singers.
We hit the end of the song where Tyler’s chanting okay, okay, okay, and Kali’s saying la, la, la, and switch whose part we’re singing.
With each word, the air is packed with more intoxicating energy between us.
The beat disappears into the intro of a new song. We don’t pay it any mind. Instead, our fingers tangle together, and slowly, he’s closing the space between us.
“I’m feeling bold again.” His eyes dip to my lips. “Should I act on the feeling?”
“I don’t see why not.”
The room goes still.
Malcolm tucks one of my honey-blond twists behind my ear before hooking his finger under my chin.
His other hand grips my waist, his hand melting into my curves.
He pulls me into him, leaving no room between our bodies.
His soft lips brush against mine, teasing.
I lean in, and our worlds collide like when the image of a kaleidoscope comes together, bursting with color.
He tilts my chin up, allowing him to deepen the kiss. I place my hand on his chest and quickly grab his shirt, needing something to anchor me. He doesn’t allow for a second of coming up for air, devouring me whole.
An abrupt, thundering knock on the front door interrupts us. I immediately jump back and turn around, scared that his boss is outside. Malcolm turns to see who it is, yelling, “We’re closed!”
I peek over his shoulder to see River standing outside. She holds up her phone. “I got your SOS text!”
“Too little, too late,” I shout so she can hear me. “I’m fine now.”
“You sure?” she asks.
Malcolm hops over the counter, heading to the door. He turns the open sign to the closed side. “She’s sure.”
Amusement spreads across River’s face. “My plan worked.” She points back and forth from Malcolm to me. “Finally!”
“Goodbye, River.” Malcolm pulls the string on the shades, dropping them down. River bends to be visible, giving me thumbs-up and goofy smiles until the shades are fully drawn. Malcolm turns back to me. “Now, where were we?”
I swing my legs over the counter, and Malcolm positions himself in between them, drawing me back into his body. “Right here,” I say, grabbing his face and planting a kiss on him.
Reluctantly, he pulls back. His thumb lingers on my face, delicately brushing my cheek. “Come on. I still have something to show you.”
“What about closing?”
“I’ll worry about that later.” Malcolm guides me through the kitchen and into the storage area. I’m unsure where we’re going until he pushes open a door that reads Rooftop Staircase.
We climb the stairs, and once we reach the top, I see why we’re here. My breath stalls from the immaculate view of the campus stretching to the sunset on the horizon. Normally I wait until the last minute to leave the café, so seeing the sunset during this time isn’t unusual.
However, I’ve never seen the campus from this perspective before.
My gaze extends from the Aggie Village in front of us all the way to the other side of campus, where the financial aid office peeks out from behind the Academic Classroom Building.
Students flow out, emptying nearby parking lots and filling the sidewalks as the streetlights come on.
While the clock tower stands in the middle of it all, ringing in the new hour.
I take it in, thankful for my time here and all it has given me. I intertwine my fingers with Malcolm’s as he directs me close enough to the roof’s edge for the perfect view without people below spotting us. He wraps his arms around me, the sides of our bodies glued together.
“Oh my god, Malcolm. This is spectacular.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Like is an understatement. The sunset melts into the horizon. Splashes of orange, purple, and pink paint the sky. It’s the type of sight you’d expect in a movie.
The golden glow of the sun illuminates Malcolm’s face. This is the first time I’ve seen it cast over his gorgeous brown skin, and I’ve never been more attracted to him.
I open my mouth to tell Malcolm as much, but he beats me to the punch. “I’ve always wanted to tell you that when I catch the sunset here, it makes me think of you.” His eyes linger over my face, drinking me in.
Suddenly, I’m hot, and it’s not the sun’s doing.
There’s always been something between us.
But this is more than a mere something. It’s a feeling I’ve never shared with anyone else.
A craving to be around him again when we’re apart.
An affection that I hear only when he speaks.
A warmth that follows after his touch, no matter how quick it is. Butterflies consume my stomach.
“We should forget about the cohort thing and not let others’ experiences define us.”
I turn around in his arms to face him, our chests so close that our breathing syncs up, and I can feel his heart beating.
He’s taking a leap of faith, and while I’ve been reluctant to jump before, this mini date hints at a hopeful future.
All the what-ifs play out in my head, but they’re outweighed by how secure he makes me feel.
Sorry to my mama, but this Aggie is finally doing.
“I like that plan,” I say, peering up at him.
He beams from ear to ear, eager for more. “So, I get a second date?”
“Kiss me one more time, and I’ll let you know.”
Malcolm doesn’t hesitate to fulfill my request, and a renewed, vibrant energy courses through my veins like a shot of espresso.
“Mmh, you got plans on Saturday?” I ask.
“Yeah…you.”
As the sun continues to fade away, so does the rest of the world, because it feels like no one else exists in this moment—just our hearts beating to the same tune of a promising future ahead of us, as if this is our own rom-com.